Lock-switch.



PATENTED APR. '9, 1907.

No. 849,907. J. A. MALLETTE.

LOCK SWITCH.

A LIGATION FILED FEB. 23. 1907.

INVENTOR.

chm #ZMa/kfi: BY @m I I L ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES:

JAMES A. MALLETTE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

LOCK-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 9, 1907.

Application filed February 23, 1907. Serial No. 358,945.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES A. lliALLETTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Look- Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in lock-switches and it consists in the novel construction of switch more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan of the invention, showing the switch-tongue in one of its extreme positions. Fig. 2 is a similar view, on a larger scale, showing the tongue in the opposite extreme position or against the rail of the straight track. Fig. 3 is a top plan showing the tongue in an intermediate position, the operating links and levers of the locking mechanism being in alinement or on the "dead-center. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through the casing or box, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the variation in the disposition of the are described by the outer end of the intermediate lever of the locking mechanism for a'variation in the position of the center of oscillation of said lever, said variation corresponding with the change in the lateral adjustment of the spring-controlled stem of the locking mechanism to and from the rail.

The object of my invention it to construct a railway-switch in which the oscillating tongue which guides the car from one track to the other may be positively locked in position, the locking mechanism being such as to effectively retain said tongue against accidental displacement and with any degree of predetermined pressure until shifted from such position by the switch-bar in the hands of the engineer or motorman.

The advantages of the present construction will be better apparent from a detailed description of the invention, which is as fol lows:

Referring to the drawings, R R represent the rails of one track, and R R therails of the curve meeting in said track. Located at the convergence of two of the rails R R is the oscillating tongue 1, mounted in the usual pivotal bearing-block 2 and having a range of movement sufficient to effect a continuation from one rail R to its corresponding rail R or to leave the rail R unaffected, all as fully understood in the art. Mounted on or secured to the side of the rail R at a'point suitably removed from the free end of the tongue 1 is a casing or box C, in which my locking 1nechanism is located. This lock consists of the following detailed construction: Secured to the end wall of the casing nearest the free end of the tongue is a bracket 3, provided with laterally extending terminally bifurcated arms 4 4, the securing screws or bolts 5 5 passing through said bifurcations. The latter permit a very accurate adjustment of the bracket to and from the rail R for a purpose presently to appear, and in lieu of the bifurcations elongated slots could be substituted on the arms. Mounted to reciprocate longitudinally in the bracket is a stem 6, which is provided within the bracket with a collar or abutment 7, against which bears one end of an expanding spring 8, coiled about the stem and having its opposite end bearing against the base of the bracket. The normal tendency of the spring is to force the stem 6 outwardly. The outer end of the stem terminates in a head 9, to which is pivotally coupled one end of a link 10, whose opposite end is in turn pivoted to the forked end of the adjacent arm of an intermediate lever 11. The lever 11 is mounted to oscillate horizontally about the spindle 12, forming the upper terminal of a standard or bracket 13, likewise provided with basal bifurcated arms 14, secured by screws or bolts 15 to the bottom of the casing.

As shown, the several operating parts referred to are all mounted above the bottom of the casing, so as to facilitate the removal of any accumulated dirt. The opposite forked end of the intermediate lever 11 is pivoted to the adjacent end of a link 16, the opposite end of the latter being forked and pivotally secured to the end of a lug or arm 17, carried by the tongue, the lug resting on and being supported by the bottom wall of the groove in which the tongue oscillates. The web of the rail R and the adjacent side wall of the casing C are suitably recessed (the recess being shown at n) to allow for the free passage of the lug 17 When the tongue has reached approximately the middle of the are through which it oscillates, the lever 11 and link 10 are virtually in the same straight line with the stem IIO 6, Fig. 3, having reached the dead-center of their respective oscillations and the spring 8 having reached the point of maximum compression. The moment, however, the

tongue passes the middle point of its are of l oscillation the straight line between the lever 11, link 10, and stem 6 is broken, and the resilient action of the spring automatically forces the tongue against the rail toward which it was initially moved by the motorman or engineer.

The pressure with which the tongue shall be forced against the rail R depends on the distance from the rail it to which the stem 6 has been adjusted. if it has been so set as to allow the outer end of the lever 11 to oscillate through a longer are while approaching the rail It than while oscillating from the rail, the straight or aliued disposition oi the lever 11, link 10, and. stem. 6 will naturally be assumed when the tongue is nearer to the rail R than to the rail R, and when the dead-center has been passed it naturally will follow that the tongue will be forced by the spring 23 with greater pressure against the rail R than. it will against the rail It. This lateral adjust ment of the stem (through the medium of the bifurcated arms of the bracket 3) is resorted to in cases of a dear curvethat is to say, a curved track only seldom used-401' in such a curve it seldom happens that the tongue need be shifted against the straight track R, and when it is needed. the extra resistance offered by such tongue to the car-wheel which effects the shifting need not be taken into account. In other cases oi course 1t 1s desirable that the are described by the lever 11 shall be symmetrically disposed about the axis of the stem 6 or the continuation of said axis, so that no more resistance shall be of- -l ered to the shifting of the tongue against one rail R than against the other, B.

As understood. in the art, the inotorman inserts a switch-bar (not shown) between the rail R and the tongue 1 and forces it toward the rail R, and when the tongue in its 0scil' lation has caused the parts 1]., 1(), and 6 of the locking mechanism to pass the deadcenter or position of alinement the spring 8 will automatically force the tongue to the limit of its movement against the rail lit.

The tongue 1 of course may be forced back automatically against the rail R (or to open position) by the flange of the wheel oi a car returning from the curved track R to the straight track R; but for a car to pass from the straight to the curved track or to con tinue on the straight track without passing on the curved track resort would have to be had to the switch-bar in the motormans hand, as well understood in the art. The casing is provided. with a cover or lid L, resting on 'a ledge or shoulder 3, formed with the Walls of the casing.

In Fig. 6 the line a a represents the alined l position oi the parts 6, l0, 11 for one position or at one distance .lrom the rail it, and the line a a lepresents the alined position oi the same parts at a slightly gltllljfll' d istanee l'rom the rail it. For the latter position it will be seen that a larger section of the are (h scribed by the outer end of the lever ll lies on the side toward the rail it, (the rail being assumed to be to the left ol. the 'i'igni' ,l thus permitting the lever to assume a position ai a greater angle with the rail. 'lhethrustol' the lever 11 against the link 16, lug l 7, and hours against the tongue 1. becomes more dirwt and hence the tongue is held against the rail it with greater pressure than would be the case for the left-hand position of the lever l l in Fig. 6.

Having described my invention, what l1. claim is 1. in combination with a rail, a tongue oscillating to and from the rail, a spring-controlled reciprocating stem mountml adjacent to the rail on the side opposite to the tongue, and a system of .link-and-lever connections between the stem and tongue for ,loiribl i' holding the tongue at either limit oi its are ol' oscillation, sulistantially as set lorth.

2. In combination with two converging rails, a tongue oscillating in the space be tween the rails, a lug or arm projecting iron] the side of the tongue through one ol'" the rails, a lever mounted pivotally at an intrr mediate point in proximity to the end o l? the ing, a link connecting the lug to tl i at eenl end of the lever, a srnring-controlled reciproeating stem mounted adjacent to one ol' the rails on the side of the link, a link coupling the adjacent ends of the stem and arm of the pivoted lever, the ends of the lever being adapted to oscillate through. an are extending on each side of the continuation of the an of the stem, substantially set forth.

8. In combination with two conrcrgiug rails, a tongue oscillating in the spaee or groove between the rails, a lug or arm projectii'ig from the side oi. the tongue through one of the rails, a link pivotally carried at the end of the lug, a spring-controlled stein mounted adjacent to one oi the rails on the side opposite from that of the tongue and reciprocating in a line parallel to said. rail, a link at the end of the stem, an interim-dhue oscillating lever pivotally mounted between the links aforesaid, and having its respective arms coupled pivotally to said links, l illstem, lever, and their connecting-link disposing themselvcs in the same straight linr for the extreme reciprocation oi the stem in one direction and. :lor the maximum com pro:- sion of the spring actuating the same, whereby upon a slight movement of the tongue from its position cmrespOmling to the alined position. ol' the stem, lever and link aforesaid, the expansion of" the spring will snap or a the tongue to its extreme position against the rail toward which it initially moved, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with two converging rails, a tongue oscillating in the space between the rails, a lug or arm projecting from the side of the tongue through one of the rails, a lever mounted pivotally at an intermediate point of its length and in proximity to the lug, a link connecting the lug to the adjacent end of the lever, a spring-controlled reciprocating stem mounted adjacent one of therails on the same side with the lever, a link coupling the lever and stem, the stem,

lever and connecting-link adapted to aline themselves with the axis of the stem for the extreme reciprocation of the stem in one di- 

